Newslinks for Friday 7th April 2017

Government backs Trump’s attacks on Assad regime

“Britain has backed US missile strikes on a Syrian air base as an “appropriate response” to Bashar Assad regime’s “barbaric” chemical attack, while Russia warned the act of “aggression” will damage its relations with America. The UK Government has offered its full support to US president Donald Trump’s targeted assault on the base from where he said a devastating nerve agent strike on civilians was launched. The surprise barrage of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles – which were launched from US ships in the Mediterranean and struck the Shayrat air base in central Syria in the early hours of Friday – was the first direct US attack on the Syrian government.” – Daily Telegraph

UK says attacks aren’t the launch of a wholesale campaign – The Independent

Nick Boles: Time to exorcise our shame and tackle Assad

“The West’s shameful record of appeasing Assad makes me incensed, and ashamed. On August 29, 2013 MPs had a chance to punish Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people and reinforce the global ban on chemical and biological weapons. After a few days of twisting and turning on the skewer of his own righteousness, Ed Miliband announced that Labour would oppose military action and a majority in parliament voted with him. President Obama used our parliamentary vote as an excuse to back down on the enforcement of his own “red line”, even though he had repeatedly declared that its infringement would require a military response.” – The Times (£)

May warns EU that Gibraltar is not up for discussion

“Theresa May warned the European Union yesterday that the sovereignty of Gibraltar was off limits in Brexit negotiations as she took part in the first substantive talks with the bloc since Article 50 was triggered. In two hours of talks with Donald Tusk, the European Council president, Mrs May said there could be no change to the status of the Rock without the explicit consent of its people. Spain was accused of causing long traffic jams by tightening border controls for the 10,000 people who cross into Gibraltar to work every day. The Gibraltar government said that the move was a “political weapon”.” – The Times (£)

Ministers 1) Truss’ position at risk after confrontation with judges

“Liz Truss has been identified by ministers as the politician most at risk of losing her job in a cabinet reshuffle after confidence in her was undermined by clashes with senior judges. One judge said that relations with the lord chancellor, who also serves as justice secretary, had deteriorated to such a point that she could not recover, adding: “No one will forgive her.” The views of judges are fuelled by anger in some quarters that she has effectively blocked their candidate, Sir Brian Leveson, from becoming the next lord chief justice. Sir Brian was the frontrunner for the most powerful judicial post in England and Wales when Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd steps down this year.” – The Times (£)

“Politicians in Northern Ireland have been warned they have until Good Friday to come to a power sharing agreement or face direct rule from Westminster. James Brokenshire set a deadline of Easter weekend for the parties to agree a new arrangement after failing to broker a deal following the snap election in March. The tight timetable will prompt comparisons with the fraught process ahead of the original Good Friday agreement in 1998. The Northern Ireland secretary said public services in the country need certainty and warned he is prepared to draw up legislation to take control if no deal is struck.” – Daily Telegraph

Government to crack down on ‘abuse’ of leaseholds

“Developers are set to be banned from selling new-build houses with leases that end up costing families a fortune. Ministers are drawing up plans to outlaw the ‘feudal’ practices of builders who sell new houses with leases, forcing buyers to pay a yearly ground rent to the freeholder. Some of these fees can double every decade, crippling homeowners and making the property almost impossible to sell on. The proposed clampdown came as government figures showed the true scale of the leasehold scandal blighting the lives of millions of families.” – Daily Mail

Act now before foreigners buy half of all homes, ministers told – The Times (£)

Patrick McLoughlin: The local elections offer a clear choice between the Conservatives and chaos

“To understand the frustration an incompetently run local authority can cause, you only have to ask residents in Labour-run Bury what a cut in the number of bin collections has done to the area’s rat population; or discuss with people how Lib Dem-led Sutton Council lost the only copy of an environmental report mapping out data on air quality that they spent more than £100,000 of taxpayers money on. The local elections next month offer a clear choice – the competence of a strong Conservative council who will deliver value for money, versus the disarray of the rest.” – Daily Telegraph

Labour’s private school VAT pledge a ‘false economy’

“Labour’s pledge to add VAT to private school fees in order to extend free school meals was dealt a blow yesterday by the academic on whose work it was based. Lorraine Dearden, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said that more research was needed before the respected think tank would back the policy. Jeremy Corbyn cited a study by the IFS when he announced the policy to add the 20 per cent tax to fees to fund free school meals for all primary schoolchildren.” – The Times (£)

The Opposition’s scheme for free school meals makes no sense – The Times (£)

More Labour:

A thousand Labour members call for Livingstone’s expulsion – The Guardian

Sturgeon rules out legal action in pursuit of a second referendum

“Nicola Sturgeon has said she has no intention of taking legal action to try to secure a second Scottish independence referendum. The First Minister indicated that rather than being settled by the courts, the matter should be decided by politicians. She told BBC Scotland: “It is absolutely essential that if the will of the Scottish Parliament is for a referendum then that should be respected. “I don’t think there is any need, nor is there any intention, to see a matter that should be settled politically end up in the courts.”” – The Independent

Sturgeon should leave her indyref2 obsession at the door – Brian Wilson, The Scotsman

Reckless confirms effort to re-defect to the Tories

“Another senior Ukip figure quit the party today as Mark Reckless announced he is defecting to the Tories. The Welsh Assembly member and former MP declared he was leaving, tweeting that he regarded it as ‘job done’ after Brexit. However, bizarrely he will not be formally rejoining the Conservative Party – instead merely aligning with its bloc in the Cardiff assembly… Ukip is now demanding that Mr Reckless step down from his post – which he was awarded through a party list system rather than being directly elected.” – Daily Mail

This will unleash a fresh wave of paranoia in UKIP – Asa Bennett, Daily Telegraph

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